Step 1: The first cut is the deepest.....

you will need-
*a t-shirt (sleevless/vests type works best)
*bootlace or other strong cord thats long enough to go round your waist
*drawstring toggle (i never throw stuff out so had one off an old rucksack, but you can buy them in craft stores)
*scissors
*large safteypin

find the hem and snip open the side seam (about 1cm) to open this channel

Step 2: A stitch in time.....

thread youur shoelace/cord onto a saftey pin
-this will make threading throuh the hem MUCH easier
feed safteypin&lace through the hole you have just cut in the hem
feed all the way through so the lace runs through the whole length of the hem

Step 3: Gather

thread the drawstring toggle to help secure the ends (you can knot the ends for extra security)
pull tight gathering up the hem

Step 4: Voila!

full instructions for use-
take off shirt (hopefully you are not now naked!)
gather in drawstring tightly
fill bag with shopping
go home, rejoicing in your eco friendly credentials
get home, empty bag
loosen drawstring
launder shirt (this will help it back into shape)
you are ready to face another day of impromptu shopping dilemmas!

No sewing, no tools needed, only scissors! I love this! I made one out of a t shirt. I cut the sleeves and the collar. Then I used the fabric strip from the collar to tie the bottom. It is really spacey but also very stretchy. I have to drag it behind me if I put more than a kilo in it :-) should have used a shorter shirt i guess... ;-D

I want to do this and like you be wearing it over a long sleeve top, just for the look on the shop assistants face when they ask me if a need a bag, And y response is a no followed by striping and converting my top into my bag, draw string in place and ready to go, I would just find it amusing, :)

Very good idea! I used some old stained tops with the sleeves removed and the bottoms stitched closed to hold cans for recycling, but I'm long on tops and short on space. Maybe I'll use some of those old tops to make grocery bags.

This is fantastic! I spent several months researching, using, and testing reusable bags for my dissertation/thesis project as an industrial design student. There are a lot of things that reusable bags do wrong, but then that's what typically happens when a new product is modeled after an existing one with a very different function. Using a reusable bag is more than just creating a substitute, it demands more attention; you see it while you use it at the store, but you also see it at home and on the way to the store. So the idea to make it an object of fashion, in addition to just function, is very smart. This is essentially what Baggu has done, and why t-shirt bags are so popular. Wearing a shirt you like makes you feel good - the same concept applies to a bag. What I love about your design though, is how simple it is to make. Making your own bag from your own loved t-shirt is what I think makes this idea great. I am already looking to see which of my own shirts I'll use. I think my first attempt will be a t-shirt with a pocket so I can have a dedicated space to stow receipts. Thanks for a great instructable!

Woooah...I REALLY, REALLY love this idea! I am picturing men's undershirts (a pack of three for like $5-7?) instead of those new "eco-friendly reusable" bags all the stores are selling. THESE you can wash, they damned well won't split when you carry heavy things and they are easy to store. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, You are GENIUS! You should make these to sell.

I have some old tank tops that I just don't wear anymore because they're either stained or just plain faded. I tie the bottom using this method and knot them permanently and they've made great shopping bags. Awesome stuff, thank you for the inspiration.